One of the problems encountered when parachuting or air dropping supplies is impact damage to the air dropped material when it hits the ground. A particular problem experienced by the U.S. Army during air drop operations is the rolling over of palletized cargoes such as artillery guns or vehicles once these cargos strike the ground.
My invention is an air-drop cargo carrier having a pallet whose design enhances its ability to absorb impact shock and deter rolling over of palletized loads. The components of my carrier which enhance these abilities take virtually no cargo space of an aircraft and the weight of these components is negligible compared to the weight capacity of the pallet.
The pallet has struts which deploy outward and downward from the pallet to absorb impact shock and inhibit cargo roll over. The carrier also has a mechanism for using the upward force on the parachute lines to effect strut deployment when the parachute opens. The pallet has elongate supports of reinforced elastomeric material, which deform in a controlled manner to absorb impact shock when the pallet lands.